Monday, October 10, 2011

With today's strip the Startup sequence is largely over, but for a few loose ends to tie up.

Originally Not Invented Here was going to be centered around the notion of Owen and Desmond starting a company, but Paul wisely guided us towards an office-centric strip, for about thirty good reasons. But I still had an itch. As someone who went through the startup thing in the halcyon Dot Com Boom days, with lots of friends who did so too, I had stories to tell. So we agreed that our boys would give it a shot, living through fictionalized versions of our experiences. Why was Owen so dumb? Because many of us had CEOs who seemed that way. Why didn't they make it big? Why did they end up where they started, somewhat worse for wear? Because that's how it ended for me and most of my friends.

We hope you enjoyed the ride.

Transcription

Geordi: I heard OWND got bought for an astronomical price!
Desmond: Yes, and just like astronomy, we'll need magnification to see any of it.

Geordi: But I have stock options!
Desmond: Sorry. When we took funding and hired Marketroid our stock was diluted like crazy.

Geordi: So all this was for nothing? We just go back to work as normal?
Desmond: Well... mostly normal.

Art's office, where Owen has already installed himself.
Owen: ... and I require a constant supply of Mr. Pibbs maintained at exactly 57 degrees.
Eliza: Can we talk about projects now?
Owen: No. First explain today's XKCD to me... again.

Not Invented Here is a comic strip about software developers, testers, and the other funny people who make software for a living using computers, compilers, programming languages, and other such newfangled gadgets and technologies. It is published every week, Monday through Thursday.